HARVESTING 



143 



That the position is wholly erroneous, and that the 

 plant continues to gain in dry substance until fully 

 mature, is clearly shown by the results of numerous 

 careful experiments. 



It will be observed that the most rapid gain in 

 pounds of dry matter per acre occurred between the 

 roasting ear and glazing stages, and that there was a 

 material gain from the glazing stage to the time when 

 the plant was ripe. Had the crop in this case been 

 harvested in the roasting ear stage, the yield of dry 

 matter would have been two and three-tenths tons per 

 acre, while four tons were secured when the plants 

 were fully ripe. In other words, the yield was practi- 

 cally doubled between the roasting ear and full 

 ripeness. 



An elaborate study of this problem by Jordan at 

 the Maine experiment station confirms the results 

 already quoted and adds to our knowledge of the 

 changes that take place in the composition of the plant 

 during the later stages of growth. A summary of the 

 results is shown in the following table: 



YIELD OF CORN AT DIFFERENT STAGES GROWTH 



Stage of development 

 when harvested 



as" 



Bars beginning to form. 



A few roasting ears 



All roasting ears 



Some earn glazing 



All ears glazed 



Total increase 



165.0 

 121.3 



77.6 

 39.8 



In this case the yield of dry matter per acre was 

 more than doubled in thirty-seven days, or between 

 the silking stage and the fully glazed stage. It will 



